Wrong Number

by Lucian Bane

  How many girlfriends did he have?

  “You should’ve called,” he said.

  “Well it’s not like I would have a clue you’d have company! Normally—”

  “Stop,” David said, his tone hard.

  This time she did seem offended. “Okay then,” she announced, turning a smile at Lizzy. “Was nice meeting you. I hope you enjoy your new job.”

  She got up and walked off and David shot up, following her. Lizzy didn’t know what made her sicker; the way she said enjoy your new job, or the way David chased after her, or that David seemed to have girlfriends when he told her he didn’t.

  She went inside his room and paced, because what else was she supposed to do? Enjoy your new job. What did that mean? Did she know about their arrangement? The private one? She sure acted like she knew something.

  Her heart hammered at seeing David coming. “I’m sorry about that,” he said when he entered.

  “Sorry about what?” Lizzy wondered.

  He sighed and walked to the corner chair and turned to face her. “I told you I didn’t have girlfriends while I work and…I don’t. But…I do have women. Had,” he added.

  She swallowed. “Why did you…tell me…”

  “I told you a lot of things when we first met that either weren’t true or forms of the truth. I already told you I lied and why I did. That hasn’t changed.”

  “You lied so you could have me, to use my body for sex, and you did, and you liked it so much you proposed a year-long contract for it. I remember,” she said lightly, hearing just how bad that sounded. She hoped he heard it too. And he did, judging by the way he paced in small steps near the chair, not looking at her.

  He suddenly faced her, arms spread. “As bad as that sounds, yes. That is precisely what happened. I’m not apologizing for it and I’m pretty damn sure I’d do it again.”

  “With who?”

  “You,” he said, quickly.

  “So how many girlfriends…I mean women do you have?”

  “I don’t have any,” he said. “I use…a service.”

  She swallowed down sickness at the idea of him with other women the way he was with her. She’d thought…it was new for him for some reason, like it was for her. She was sure of it. So why her? Why her for this? If he could have women—which he clearly could and did—why her?

  “Why me? For this?” she decided to ask. “Why not those women. More suited.”

  “There not suited, they’re temps.”

  “You have the money to pay them to live with you twenty-four seven, I don’t understand.”

  “They’re not you.”

  “And what is so special about me, I have no experience, I have no knowledge of…these things that you want. I’m…more of a risk for you than any other person.”

  He sat heavily in the chair finally, staring right at her. “I don’t care about the risks. And neither did you, remember?”

  She eyed him back, realizing he was right. And yet not. “Of course I cared about the risks. I cared to know and I did know. And I wanted to take them.”

  “Why?” he asked.

  Why? She decided she didn’t care if he knew, she didn’t want to hide who she was with him. “Because I wasn’t living before. I had no life. I knew all the risks, I knew that you might be playing me. I knew that you might use me and throw me away and even that you might be a psycho. I did it anyway because I wanted to.”

  “Why,” he demanded again. “Why did you want to after knowing the risks?”

  “Because I liked…” she swallowed, taking several more breaths. “I loved what you made me feel. What you make me feel. Even if it’s just for a little while, I’m okay with that. That’s what you offered me, and I decided I wanted it.” She wasn’t sure what the dark look in his eyes meant but it had her trembling.

  “And do you still want it?”

  “Yes,” she whispered, not even having to think. “I just…want to know one thing.”

  “Anything,” he said, his tone still unreadable like his face.

  “Did you…and Lisa… have you two ever…”

  “Yes.”

  His answer punched the air from her stomach, and she fought to hide it.

  “Only once. We were much younger.”

  “When?”

  “We were nineteen.”

  “And…does she still…”

  “I think she does, but I don’t encourage it.”

  She recalled scraps of words from their conversation on the phone she’d heard, not entirely buying it, or agreeing with what he’d consider not encouraging.

  “We agreed…exclusivity during the year?” she double checked.

  “We did,” he said, his words feeling restrained.

  She gave a nod, followed by several more. “Okay then. Thank you for answering my questions.”

  “Get in my bed,” he said quietly, his tone still tight.

  ****

  David was literally trembling from the anger and need colliding inside him. Pissed with Lisa, pissed with himself for being who he fucking was, and pissed at Lizzy for being who she was. The clash of her innocence and his… filth was all wrong and yet more perfect than anything he’d ever experienced.

  He followed her to the bed, not knowing a lot in that second other than he needed to bury his cock in her. He didn’t give a single fuck as to why, he only cared about doing it with a brutal perfection. “Undress quickly,” he said, standing before her, naked.

  He didn’t move as he watched her remove her clothes. When she stood with her head lowered and hands clasped before her, his cock lurched at the sight. That right there. Her need. Her desire for him. So great that even her innocence and vulnerability couldn’t stop her from giving herself to him. No other woman gave him that. He was sure it was because no other woman had it to give him.

  “Lay on the bed. On your back.” He wanted to see her when he fucked her. He watched her move into position, her eager face on his, arms up at her breasts in worried fists. He crawled onto the foot of the bed and didn’t stop till she was exactly beneath him, eyes locked to his. He lowered onto her and her legs opened and wrapped eagerly around him. The perfect feeling sent his eyes rolling with a mini orgasm. Her eager need—not just for the pleasure of sex, but everything else that came when they fucked—was his new craving.

  He placed his cock carefully at her entrance, wanting to see that everything else, wanted to watch it. Study it. Test it. Explore it.

  As he pushed his cock slowly in, the devastated rapture in her face stole his breath. She gazed at him with that burning look, that eternal look. It went on forever and reached beyond his skin, so far beyond. Her fingers bit into his ass and she pulled his cock deep inside her, giving him the cry he craved. The one that said he’d made her dreams come true. Fuck he loved that sound.

  He captured her head between his hands, wanting to never quit seeing it. He pumped his cock slowly in and out, recording every sound and look, measuring every breath and moan and cry.

  “David,” she cried, when his thrusts picked up.

  He was a king when she called his name. He called her Angel but hadn’t realized just how much she was exactly that. She’d given herself to him. She’d asked him why her, like she didn’t know what she was. But the real question was why him? Why did this Angel want him?

  Because I wasn’t living before. I had no life. I knew all the risks. I knew that you might be playing me. I knew that you might use me and throw me away.

  Throw her away…

  “Put your arms above your head,” he ordered, thrusting faster.

  She obeyed him between those gut-wrenching cries, those soul moving moans.

  He held her wrists in one hand and hooked his arm under her right leg, opening her more, so much more. Every part of him scrutinized the look of his cock moving in and out of her before raising to the jerk of her perfect tits. Then he watched her face, her beautiful fucking face scarred with that everything else.

  His g
rowls surged, loud and unrestrained as he fucked her harder and faster, reaching as deep as he could. He needed to reach that extraordinary part of her, he needed to claim it and own it. Because it was his. He would never let it go. He’d never give it up. Not after a day, not after a week, and not after a year-long contract.

  ****

  David watched Lizzy out of the corner of his eye as they drove to the first department store. The plan was still the same, as far as he was concerned, with one minor change. “I’d like to visit your Aunt,” he announced, studying her reaction in his peripheral vision. He knew she wanted to keep their arrangement a secret but ever since that throw me away remark, he wanted to show her he wasn’t intending any such thing, and meeting her only family he knew existed seemed like a good way to demonstrate that. After all, words were just words waiting for actions to validate them.

  “Why?” she asked.

  The defensive tone wasn’t the one he was expecting, not entirely.

  “Why not?” he asked, waiting to see where her head was.

  “I mean…” she looked out the window. “She doesn’t need to know.”

  “I want her to know.”

  “Why?”

  He glanced at her, officially confused by this reaction. “Because I want her to know.”

  She looked out her window. “But…why do you want her to know? I don’t care if she doesn’t know.”

  “Well, I care. I want her to know I’m dating her niece.”

  “Dating? Is that what it’s called?”

  “I don’t know what it’s called, Lizzy, I just want her to know I have you and I’m taking care of you. You don’t want to put on a charade for a year, do you?” He almost added that wouldn’t be good for her anxiety issues. But that was something else he’d been more curious about with her. What exactly caused those? Was it linked to her disregard for her own safety? Or linked to her urgent need to live so much that she would risk her well-being?

  Maybe his brain wanted to visit the Aunt to hopefully pick up some hints on that. And maybe that’s why Lizzy resisted him on it.

  “I want to share one of my secrets with you,” he said, hoping to dislodge some of hers.

  “Okay,” she said, pushing hair behind her ear while regarding him.

  “I told you I had a fiancé.”

  “Yes. And that she hurt you.”

  “She slept with my best friend. So, it wasn’t just her, it was my ex-best friend that ruined the idea of love for me. I never got over that. And when I made writing erotic romance my profession, it sort of gave birth to…I guess needs and cravings that I never wanted to experience in the way I once wanted to. So…I only made certain kinds of connections. Shallow ones,” he said dryly.

  “I’m sorry,” she said after a few seconds.

  “Me too,” he said simply. “I haven’t told anybody that out loud, I think. Ever.”

  He caught her studying him and peeked at her. He resisted the urge to ask what about her. What skeletons did she have in her closet? He really needed to let that come out naturally if possible.

  “My Aunt would like you,” she said quietly then.

  “You think?” His pulse raced in the small victory.

  She smiled, nodding at her window. “She already knows all about you.”

  “Really,” he muttered, loving that for some reason.

  “I called her the first day on the job and told her how gorgeous you were.”

  Fuck. He reached over and took her hand in his, lacing their fingers. He brought them to his mouth and kissed the back of hers, stroking his lips over her soft skin. “I’ll never forget the first time I saw you in that elevator.”

  “Oh God,” she barely gasped.

  He grinned, his chest heating at finding her cheeks pink with a smile. “I thought you were going to have a fucking orgasm staring at me,” he remembered, laughing when she covered her eyes with her other hand with a squeal of embarrassment.

  “And then I tripped!”

  His cock jerked, remembering it perfectly. “And I still thank God that you did. One moment I’m wondering ‘How long before I get to touch her?’ Then you’re in my arms.”

  She sucked in a happy breath and pulled his hand to her mouth, kissing it. “Really?”

  “Oh really, really. Actually, I’d mentally undressed you and had you on my desk where I ate your pussy.”

  “Oh my God,” she whispered, flushing in that way that made him rock hard. “And you set me up reading that godawful first test. It was like watching all my dreams crashing down the moment I got to taste them.”

  He laughed, feeling guilty at hearing that, but then wondered, “Which dream, the job or me?”

  “I think you know the answer to that.”

  “No, no, no” he said, shaking his head. “I need to hear it.”

  “Is that an order?”

  “It is, definitely.”

  “You were the dream and you know it,” she muttered, shaking her head with a little smile, looking out the window. “Don’t try to tell me you don’t know how irresistible you are.”

  “I do know, yes. But it was never something I was happy about until you arrived at my office.”

  “How many times have you said that line to a woman?”

  “None!” he laughed, offended.

  “So, here comes a poor Cinderella with no social skills, no experience in anything but reading books and calling wrong numbers during panic attacks and you just fall over? Come on. I realize I’m naïve but I’m not stupid.”

  “Well, you apparently are if you don’t believe me. I realize the odds aren’t in my favor but that’s the odd fact.”

  “The odds aren’t in my favor either which is why I never saw your scheme.”

  “God, what a scheme it was. I think I was lost when you read The Secretary. I got off more to your tears than I did knowing you were aroused by it.”

  “Oh my God!” she barely cried, trying to contain her laugh. “And you come out half naked while I’m literally in the middle of Lance spanking what’s her face.”

  He cracked up at that. “What’s her face, huh?”

  “I only remember Lance, my God.”

  “That psycho bastard whose death you wept over.”

  She jabbed a finger at him. “I’m still pissed about that and I still hope you get sued over that!”

  His laughter boomed out. “Sued?”

  “Yes, sued for wasted time and emotions! Can’t believe you killed poor Lance.”

  “Poor Lance?” he half sputtered.

  “You made him a monster then you made me love him,” she seemed to just realize, pissed anew. “You have a very twisted mind, Mister.”

  He finally found a spot to park and the second he did, he undid his seatbelt and leaned, pulling her face to his for a devouring kiss. “I want to fuck you right now in the back seat. Or right here, God I don’t care.”

  “We can’t…do it here,” she argued sweetly, already out of breath. “We can put off shopping and…”

  “No, we’re shopping,” he insisted. “I have things I need you to wear. Things I want to do to you when you wear them.”

  “Do I get a…hint?”

  “It involves bondage,” he said.

  “Oh…okay.”

  He eyed her at hearing that tone. “Please tell me bondage isn’t your hard limit.”

  “I wrote what I wrote in the contract. Don’t do anything to me you wouldn’t want somebody doing to your…mother.”

  “God, stop that,” he said, grossed out. “I’m just tying you up and spanking you and fucking you however I like while you’re helpless,” he finished innocently.

  “Oh, is that it?” Her eyes danced with excitement as she kissed him back, kissed him and kissed him, until he forgot his name.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  “Well, come on in!” Aunt Christine cried, hugging Lizzy, making her instantly relieved they’d decided to come. She missed her and had barely been gone.

  �
�This is David,” Lizzy said, turning.

  “Well, hello you chunka-hunk!” her aunt blurted, making both of them laugh. “Lizzy, you weren’t kidding when you said he was drop dead gorgeous. Yes, she sure did say that,” her aunt ratted out making Lizzy cover her face.

  “It’s very nice to meet you Miss Christine.”

  “Call me Auntie. Everybody does. Come in, I was just sitting down for dinner. You may as well join me.”

  Lizzy looked up at David when he took her hand in his, letting her lead the way which she did, smile all huge.

  In the kitchen, David stood behind her with his arms wrapping her. She couldn’t keep her heart from dancing all over the place at the sweet gesture. For the first half hour, David put all her fears to rest but his attentiveness was quickly giving rise to new fears, none she understood.

  After dinner, Auntie asked David, “So what do you have in mind with my Lizzy? I’ll tell you right now, I don’t care how big you are, who you are, or who you know. You hurt her and I’ll kill you with my own bare hands. She doesn’t need a man that talks a good talk, but one that walks a good walk. Ain’t no bastard gonna hurt her again! I swore on her momma’s grave I’d never let that happen.”

  “Auntie please,” Lizzy begged, eyeing her with wide eyes.

  Instant guilt filled her gaze followed with a nervous flutter of her hands. “Don’t mind me, I like to rattle stories,” she said, casting Lizzy a pained look. “Everybody has their share of no-gooders in their life,” she explained to David now, trying to fix it.

  “Yes, they do,” David said.

  Lizzy felt his eyes on her and knew he’d want to know everything now. She’d told him she had no boyfriends. But that ex didn’t count to her. Not in anything. She’d seen to that. He was dead. Just like her mom and just like Savannah.

  “I’ll protect Lizzy as long as she’s with me.”

  “Well, I hope that’s a really long time,” her aunt said, while pain stabbed her chest with his as long as she’s with me.

  “It’s as long as she wants.”

  Her gaze snapped to him and her heart hammered at finding his hot look right on her. What was he doing? What did he mean?